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NEW YORK, July 25 – A new study has shown that air pollution can cause more than 30,000 deaths in the United States and is badociated with reduced life expectancy.
Conducted by researchers from Imperial College London, UK, and the Center for Air, Climate and Energy Solutions of Carnegie Mellon University, USA, this new study badyzed data from more of 750 air quality monitoring stations in the United States and combined with other sources of air pollution data, such as satellite imagery.
The researchers focused on a type of pollution called fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, particles with a diameter less than 2.5 microns, mainly produced by the combustion of fossil fuels from exhaust gases cars and other vehicles, power stations and industrial emissions.
The particles are about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair and can penetrate deep into the airways. They have already been badociated with various diseases, including heart attacks and various forms of lung disease.
The researchers also examined information on mortality rates provided by the National Center for Health Statistics and took into account various factors that could influence outcomes, such as age, age, and age. education, poverty and smoking.
The results, published in the journal PLOS Medicineshowed that PM2.5 levels between 2.8 μg / m3 (microgram per cubic meter of air) and 13.2 μg / m3 were badociated with approximately 15,612 deaths in women and 14,757 deaths among men.
The deaths were caused by cardiorespiratory problems, which relate to heart and lung problems such as a heart attack and asthma. The researchers noted that there already existed strong evidence of badociation between cardiorespiratory diseases and air pollution.
They also estimate that these deaths would reduce the national life expectancy by 0.15 years for women and 0.13 years for men.
PM2.5 levels badociated with deaths were also generally lower than the current norm of 12 (μg / m3). The highest concentration of PM2.5 during the study period was 22.1 μg / m3 in 1999 in Fresno County, California.
Professor Majid Ezzati, lead author of the research, commented on the results: "We have known for some time that these particles can be deadly. This study suggests that even at apparently low concentrations, almost below current limits, they still cause tens of thousands of deaths. Lowering the PM2.5 standard below the current level will likely improve the health of the American nation and reduce health inequities. "
"PM2.5 concentrations in the United States are generally lower than those in many European cities – suggesting that there could also be a significant number of deaths in Europe related to air pollution," he said. -he adds. – AFP-Relaxnews
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